BUCA Yorkville, Toronto

BUCA Yorkville is the sister restaurant to BUCA, the osteria that has defined Italian dining in Toronto by sourcing Canadian ingredients and creating stunningly imaginative menus. But the Yorkville location has a mind of its own. It’s very-open-kitchen is downright inspiring as the team of chefs, led by Chef Rob Gentile work their culinary magic. Their work speaks to the culinary possibilities that really set the stage for defining Canadian cuisine but it takes a chef like Rob Gentile to haul his entire team to places like Church Hill farm near Stratford, Ontario, for a day in the country and to experience the husbandry that’s required to set their Toronto tables.

Chef Gentile learned as a boy that food was sacred within his family who, for generations, grew their own produce, raised animals, cured meat, fermented grapes and preserved anything possible. It’s this philosophy that has influenced his entire career and caused chefs like Massimo Bottura, who is currently lauded as the #1 chef on earth, to join him in the kitchen.

At BUCA Yorkville there is a regularly offered Chef Counter menu and it will be the focus of the Food Day Canada meal where guests will experience firsthand how each dish is created while overlooking the open kitchen. It’s an exclusive, ever-changing menu, curated daily made with hand-selected, seasonal ingredients and served personally by the chefs.